Dinner at The Waterbiscuit Restaurant -InterContinental Hotel, St. Julians.

Friday, 22nd November, 2013.

It is not very often that I go to a new restaurant and the establishment manages to exceed my expectations in more ways than one, from arrival to departure, through exquisite and attentive service , through the presentation of cuisine of a very high standard in the freshness, quality and preparation of the ingredients, and excellent value for money.

Waterbiscuit is a new restaurant that has replaced the “Eastern Breeze Restaurant” at the InterContinental Hotel. The venue had been totally overhauled, set-up and refurbished in a contemporary modern, but very elegant style, to give a true feeling of a welcoming, casual and relaxing atmosphere commensurate with current trends. The establishment opened for business under the new format and concept, in June this year, but has already gained a reputation for quality and of course a regular clientele of discerning diners. It was thus about time that we paid a visit and reviewed this establishment.

The establishment is divided in two sections. The ground floor restaurant with its own entrance from the street, and which caters for all day dining, including breakfast with the Waterbiscuit’s famous eggs benedict and other goodies; snacks , lunch and dinner. The first floor restaurant , which is a accessible through its own door also from the street, and which is situated in front of the rounded staircase leading to the main Waterbiscuit Restaurant.

The restaurant boasts a brand new open Kitchen and one can see the kitchen brigade led by Chef Jonathan Brincat, preparing each dish as ordered by diners. Service is led by Andrea Depasquale Schranz who is the Operations Manager for both Paranga as well as Waterbiscuit, assisted by a good team of servers, who managed to cope with the busy, Friday, dining session with admirable efficiency.

The Menu and general pricing:

On arrival we were seated at our reserved table for four persons, and after taking our orders for pre-dinner drinks and water were presented with the menus and wine list. The menu offers selections of Appetisers, Starters and Salads on the first page with prices ranging from Eur6.95 to Eur12 depending on choices; Main-courses on page 2, with prices ranging from EUR19 to EUR26.50. Side orders of potatoes and veg; and two, four-course, set menus priced at EUR28 and EUR32 each respectively.

Our Food Selections:

When our order for the food was made, we were presented with a freshly prepared, excellent amuse-bouche of fresh asparagus, with cheese ball, pea puree and soft-poached hen’s egg. For an amuse-bouch in Malta and anywhere for that matter, this was one of the very best encountered, through the work involved, the ingredients and the sheer flavour.

Our food selections were made and we settles for:

Starters:

Veal Carpaccio with truffle dressing, pecorino cheese shavings and chives;

Paccheri with chicken confit, mushrooms, and pancetta, and cafe’ au lait; A very decent starter portion , flavourful . The cafe au lait sauce is superb.

and two servings of the Risotto with broad beans, preserved orange and pork belly.

Main Courses:

Slow cooked pork cheeks served with braised cabbage and leeks and truffle sauce; I enquired as I normally do, when slow cooked food is on the menu as to the cooking method and of course as the when this item was actually cooked. I was assured that this dish is cooked in very small quantities, every day to be served for dinner. The texture and taste of this serving were awesome. I only had a small taste of it as it was selected by my daughter-in-law.

300gm Angus beef rib-eye steak grilled medium; Fresh rib-eye, perfectly grilled to the right temperature, oozing with flavour.

300gm Veal rib-eye grilled medium-rare; This was my main course selection. Again, fresh veal rib-eye, tender and juicy as it should be.

and a serving of the:

Scottona beef tagliata cooked medium-rare, served with rocket salad and Parmesan cheese shavings, aged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil.

Side servings of triple-fried chips; mashed potatoes, and grilled fresh vegetables.

A sweet amuse-bouche was served with compliments of the Chef, between the main-courses and the dessert orders.

Desserts:

Almond financier with caramelised apple, and calvados parfait with lime flavour;

Caramel delice with hazelnut cake, poached pears, pear jelly and honey roasted peanuts;

Caramelised creme’ catalan with red fruits compote;

and a serving of the fresh fruit platter.

The desserts are naturally, all produced by the InterContinental, in-house patissiers, and in my opinion they have succeeded admirably to get the sweetness factor correct. Sweet but not too sweet, exactly correct to pair with a suitable dessert wine, and to complement the dinner rather than clash with it.

Wine List: A very good choice of wines from the leading Maltese wineries were listed in the wine list with very reasonable mark-ups, which for the top local wines did not go over 80%, with prices ranging from about EUR13.50 to EUR30. With the mid-range wines at about EUR18. Very good pricing, which is a far cry from the rip-off pricing that are encountered at other establishments in the same class category. A vast range of wine from the Old-World and the New-World wine countries and regions are also available and we settled for a bottle of an excellent “Insoglio del Cinghiale” form Campo di Sasso, Tuscany. Three bottles of water ; two espressos; and a glass of dessert wine, completed this dinner.

Service: Service at the Waterbiscuit is up-scale, although unfussy is very attentive and efficient,, creating a very relaxed atmosphere.

Value for money: Excluding the pre-diner drinks, wine and dessert wine which vary from client to client, but including the water and espressos, the cost of the dinner as described above came up to EUR170 or EUR42.5 per person. Taking into account the venue, the up-scale-casual concept, the service and the sumptuous cuisine served, this pricing is exemplary of how restaurant quality and pricing should be .

Reviewers’ Remarks:

Ambience, atmosphere and Decor: Very Good +.

Cuisine quality: Outstanding.

Preparation and presentation: Outstanding.

Harmony of Menu: Very good.

Wine list and mark-ups: Very reasonable with general mark-ups on the top and mid-range wines approximately 80% above the retail price.

Service: Very Good +.

Value for money: Very Good.

RATING; 9.5/10

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Contact details:

Waterbiscuit Restaurant,

InterContinental malta,

St. George’s Bay,

St. Julians.

Tel: 21 377 600; 2376 5064.